This park is just screaming for help. It is in desperate need of being saved. It has a lot of what…read moreyou want in a park, but most of it is outdated, worn and falling a part. There is a bunch of street parking across the street from the park and there is also parking available in the park's family center parking lot. It is 21 acres and has not been updated since it was constructed in 1931. It was originally called Northwestern Park. The park was the home field of the Indianapolis ABCs, the city's Negro National League team, back in the 1920's. The park was named after Charles T.H. Watkins, a remarkable community leader and a pastor at the historic A.M.E. Bethel Church. The park has 2 horse shoe pits, or at least areas formally known as horseshoe pits. The pits are overrun by grass, leaves and weeds and they do not have the post you throw the horseshoes on. The playground has some outdated equipment that includes traditional swings, a net climbing pyramid, a regular net climb and a jungles gym with slides. The equipment is pretty old/worn, as I mentioned. The playground area is lined with wood chips. There are two tennis courts at the park, but one of the court's net is missing. The court was packed with leaves and in desperate need of repair. You must really need to satisfy your tennis fix if you play on this court. There are also two basketball courts. They both have some decent rims, and backboards, but the court themselves are in desperate need of repair. You will find a picnic shelter here with picnic tables under it and a few picnic tables under a tree. The green space and fields are horrible. They are asking for ankles to be broken. it is very uneven and hard. It has so many divots. There is a field with football uprights on each end a two fields with backstops. As I mentioned though, I would make sure I was up on my health insurance if I played there. Lastly, there is a hopscotch area near the family center. It looked pretty good as far as hopscotch goes. It look relatively new. The city really needs to invest some money in this park and give it some much needed updates. It definitely has potential, but I would avoid this park if possible as it is now.

The park fills the corner of MLK and Fall Creek and features a community center about a block north…read moreon MLK. This seems to be the only area for parking since there are no other lots and no street parking on either of the busy streets. Besides the community center, there are basketball courts and a football field to the west of the courts. There is a playground and shelter and a great number of mature trees. There are two horse shoe courts that fit in among the trees on the southeast corner of the park. There also appears to be some raised beds for plantings on the north side of the parking lot. The park looks to be in pretty good shape. People were using the community center during my visit, but I didn't stop in. Overall, it is a nice park and greenspace. Review #685

This park is amazing. I am surprised that it does not have more reviews. It is a well kept secret I…read moreguess. I had never heard of it before my visit. The park dates back to 1921 when 40 of its 64 acres were donated to the City by Wilmer and Edna Christian in memory of Wilmar's mother. The park is a bit aged, but has everything I look for in a park. It is also conveniently located right off of the Pleasant Run Trail. The park has three distinct sections and a ton of parking available between its 4 lots and street parking. The park can be accessed from many different ways. One area of the park, near the front, has a couple of baseball fields that have definitely seen better days. It is pretty worn and not well maintained. Across the street at the main part of the park is a couple of ball fields that are in even worse condition than the ones in the baseball complex across the street. There is a lot of green space in this section as well, that is suitable for activities such as playing catch, throwing a freesbee, a soccer game, a football game or having a picnic. You will find three tennis courts in the section as well. They are a bit rough, but would still work if you want a quick match. There is a shelter with picnic tables under it and grills just out side of it. The shelter can be rented and are in fair shape. It has remnants of parties past still there. Streamers were all over it. I almost thought it was police tape. There are two full basketball courts that are very nice. I almost had to lace them up and throw a few down. Other amenities in the area include a nice splash pad and playground. The splash pad has benches around its perimeter to sit. The playground is on a bed of wood chips and has some relatively new equipment that includes a bank of traditional/toddler swings, a pyramid net climber, and a huge jungle gym with a rock climbing wall, pebble bridge, a web net climber, a bunch of slides, bridges, monkey bars, and a bongo. It is a very nice jungle gym. I was impressed. The large building that you see in this section is the family center. I do not know if it is still operating (But I believe it is). It was closed while I was there. This is the section that has the largest of the park's parking lots (there are 2 lots in this section). The third section has a decent football field, with goal post on each end. It appears well maintained. This section also has a shelter with picnic tables under it. It is better than the shelter in the other section but could still use some love. It can also be rented. You will find a another playground in this section. It has much older equipment. It has a smaller jungle gym with monkey bars, parallel bars, bridges, tunnels and a few slides, a bank of toddler swings, a bank of traditional swings, old school monkey bars, parallel bars and big blue arch that I have no idea what it is. This is a hidden gem. It offers a ton to do. I did not however, find a restroom facility though. It is relatively well maintained, even though I saw a lot of trash on the grounds near the shelter. It has a paved trail through it that can be linked with the adjoining Pleasant Run Trail to give you a nice long hike. Yes, some of the park could use some upgrades, but it still works well. This is a destination park that I highly recommend checking out. You could easily spend a half day or more here, especially during the summer.

This park covers a massive area, but it's not as wooded area I like. It has all you need for…read morerecreation: basketball courts, tennis courts, a splash area, large playground, football field, softball and baseball fields, and lots of picnic tables spread throughout. It does have a paved path to walk and a little area to do calisthenics type of exercise off the path. But, it is more like a sidewalk than a park path or trail, or somewhere I'd want to go for a walk. And, it was riddled with litter (not too bad, but consistent); but, it appears to be a very popular park, so the amount I saw want excessive for the traffic. Maybe more trash bins would help. This park looks like it makes a lot of families very happy. The basketball courts were definitely my draw!

This little park starts out like an oasis of color and fun for the neighborhood. The entire park is…read moreflanked on the east by the White River with panoramic views of the Indy skyline in the distance. The playground, remodeled in 2024, includes two climbing structures (one for toddlers and one for older kids), as set of swings, and a small splash pad ( for warmer weather). The basketball court has a small set of bleachers and is separated from the playground by a picnic pavilion. The playground area is enclosed by a fence so that kids don't wonder towards the river or road. The Municipal Gardens community center is currently closed, but houses a gymnasium and event center that people can reserve. Behind the center is a picnic area, play area and stairs/accessible ramp that leads down to the river. I saw beautiful views of the river from the fenced walkway. My visit took a sad note when I spotted a historic marker to the north describing the brutal lynching of 19 year old George Tompkins in 1922 on the grounds of the park grounds. The plaque memorializes young Tompkins and describes the history of racially motivated lynchings in America. The story of Tompkins weighed heavy on my mind. A bike path leads north out of the park past a heavily wooded area. There is plenty of parking, including accessible parking in the lots around the center. In the summer, kid's may sign-up for day camps held at the park.

This park is pretty good as a whole. The outdoor area is ok. It has a splash pad, but I do not know…read moreif it is operational. It also has a decent sized parking lot, but it is located right off of a pretty busy street. It's playground consists of two banks of old swings and an accessible jungle gym with a slide. The floor of the playground is lined with wood chips. The park is small and is fenced in. The highlight of the park is its basketball court. It has a full basketball court with adjustable rims. The court floor and nice and the rims and backboard are in good repair. You will also find a large covered shelter with picnic tables and a grill. It can be reserved and used to host functions. It is adjacent to a large building that houses a gymnasium, and multi-purpose gathering space that you can hosts functions. It is available to rent The large basketball gym inside serves as host to basketball leagues and open gyms. The venue is also the site of special events such as backpack give aways, and serves as a warming center during the cold. While I was there, the grounds keeper was maintaining the park which was nice to see. The park is just ok because it has older equipment that could use some updating and it does not have a lot of amenities such as bathrooms. I would not make a special trip to visit this park, but If I came across it during my travels and had time to kill then I may visit.

Sweet walk down memory lane to read my old "pre-children" review of this park now that we have a…read more3.5 year old and 9mos.old in the house. This park ended up being quite the refuge during COVID and a daily spot for my son and his nanny. From the covered seating area with outdoor grills to the playscapes for various ages, there's a little something for everyone here. Not to mention the adorable Northside Lights festivities featuring Santa each year for the neighborhood celebration.

For sentimental reasons alone, I'm inclined to offer this Old Northside park a five-star rating…read moredespite minor reservations around accessibility. Shawn Grove Park is managed by the Old Northside Foundation. Located at 1401 N. Alabama, the park was created to memorialize 24-year-old Shawn Grove, a Riley Hospital nurse who was shot to death outside a nearby Jack's Pizza while resisting a purse grab. I'm not sure you could better honor a nurse than to create a park such as the Shawn Grove Park. It's got two playgrounds - one is considered a toddler playground and is fenced in and the other is for older kids. This is definitely a small park - I'd say it's slightly larger than a pocket park, however, it's definitely not a destination park. It's a true neighborhood park that's ideal for gathering and ideal for small children. It's well-maintained. Parking around here is fairly easy (a bit tougher for wheelchair users since it's primarily street parking and the street is a bit narrow). The surface in the toddler area is fun and seems to be designed with toddler safety in mind. It's sort of comprised of mosaic rubber bits. There's swings and slides older kids. There's a covered area with picnic tables, bike racks, and fun rides. I don't get to the Old Northside a whole lot, but as someone who's been a lifelong activist in violence prevention this is a place I stop whenever I do. I'm grateful that even after all these years it continues to be well-maintained. In terms of my minor accessibility concerns - these would be the difficulty of street parking, the slightly uneven surface, and the lack of adaptive features. However, curb cuts are solid here, the features are simple enough that they'll work with a lot of kids (with supervision), and there's too much to love about this park to give it anything less than five stars.

This is a small pocket park located in Cumberland and was dedicated in 1999. It does not have a…read moredesignated parking lot. So, I was able to find a spot on the side of the road to park in and visit the park. It also does not have a bathroom, but there is a port-a-potty nearby. The park is fenced completely fenced in has a grill that is off by itself, a small patch of green space that you could play catch or have a picnic. The park has a bank of toddler/traditional/ADA swings, a small playground area with a tunnel and a medium sized jungle gym with slides, a tunnel bridge and a rock climbing wall. The equipment is in decent shape, but one of the swings is missing off of the bank. You will find a picnic tables under a shade tree and a few benches at the park, one of which overlooks the play area. The park also has a less than half basketball court with a rim that appears to be about 7 or 8 feet high. I finally found a court that I can dunk on. Anyway, the court is decent and is perfect for a little one to shoot around. It is not a very good court to run a game. In the back corner of the park you will find a small memorial to notable Cumberland residents. A ceremony honoring those citizens is held annually at the park. This is decent park, but definitely not a destination park, and is used primarily by families in the nearby neighborhoods, which explains the lack of a parking lot. It seems to be adequately maintained, but does not get a lot of use. I was teetering between at a 3.5 rating, but felt that the park was closer to a three than a 4 due to lack of amenities.

Honors Park in Cumberland is one of the town's newer parks. It's practically the definition of a…read moreneighborhood park with a focus on playground equipment for smaller children and a fenced in perimeter to keep those same children safe. The playground equipment is your basic equipment - swing set, slide, stuff to climb on. While someone in a wheelchair could technically wheel to the area, this is not an accessible park. The best feature of Honors Park is its memorial monument area. The monument is engraved with the names of Honors Park honorees - the recognition honors those who've contributed to the growth and welfare of the town of Cumberland and specifically cannot include active politicians. Honors Park has the usual greenery that you'd expect. While it's not a fancy park, Cumberland takes their park areas seriously and Honors Park is no exception. It's beautifully green, well kept, and the playground equipment is in good condition. While it's far from a destination park, it's a nice neighborhood park for those in the area.

NEW PARK ALERT The CUTEST accessible flower-themed…read moreplayground has officially opened at Seminary Park (Home of the Peony Festival!) 2 slides, including a fun rolling slide Bright, colorful padded ground with flower details Sensory wall + interactive games throughout the playground Huge portions of the park are wheelchair accessible Visit in April/May to see the peonies blooming Downsides: only partially fenced, just one parent bench, no swings & no bathrooms I already know this is going to become one of my kids' favorite parks Bonus: it's super close to downtown Noblesville for snacks or a little walk after playing!

We enjoyed Seminary Park today at the Noblesville Peony Festival! We were able to snag a spot a few…read morestreets away, but there were multiple lots not too far away according to the FB page. The park was beautifully decorated! They have a lot of peonies planted around the park as well as other flowers. The alliums were beautiful too! You can tell how hard they work on this park. There is a gazebo where they held some classes and then the arear was filled with tents and activities as well as food trucks. I would have to check it out when a festival isn't happening to see how the park is, but there were some benches and water fountains and I think it is a beautiful spot to relax or have a picnic. If you get a chance the Peony festival was fantastic. It had some really great photos ops and lots of food trucks and locally made items as well as flowers and plants for sell!

I'm honestly amazed I've never reviewed Arsenal Park. I live just east of SoBro, South Broad Ripple…read morefor the uninitiated, and drive by and/or visit Arsenal Park on a pretty regular basis. It's a 13-acre park smack dab in the middle of the SoBro area. This is a definite residential park with parking that's pretty interesting - it's essentially around the perimeter of the park. This is a very wooded park. It's actually a pretty heavily utilized park and there's very few times that I drive by here that I don't actually see people at the park. This park was purchased by the City of Indianapolis in 1928 (Fun fact: Original price was $19,915). It resulted from a desire for a park in the area east of what's known as Meridian Kessler. Early development came from such projects as the New Deal jobs programs and the Works Progress Administration in the 1930s. Arsenal Park offers a variety of activities including basketball courts, a bicycle polo course, a multipurpose field, a splash pad, playground, a shelter and a comfort station. Arsenal Park was purchased by the City of Indianapolis in 1928 following community interest in establishing a park in the area east of the Meridian Kessler neighborhood. Much of the early development of the 11-acre park was done through New Deal jobs programs like the Works Progress Administration in the 1930s. This park offers basketball courts, a bicycle polo course, a community garden, a multipurpose field, a splash pad, playground equipment, a shelter, and a comfort station. This seems to be a park that's always under some sort of development. There's a current master plan for the park and it's a beautiful setting that I don't feel like has ever lived up to its potential. Another fun fact: It's called Arsenal Park because it used to be on Arsenal Avenue (which became Indianola). At one point, it was also called Haverford Park. If you pay attention to this area, there's a Haverford baseball complex down the street. I tend to agree with most of the reviews here. I love this park. It's also great for those who geocache - there's more than one geocache in this park. It's not the most wheelchair friendly park and there's really not a walking path here. However, the playground is fairly accessible. Overall, this is a solid 4-star park that could easily be developed into a 5-star park with some love, attention, and vision. I typically do feel safe in this park, though the bike area can get a bit congested. It's surrounded by houses and pretty open concept.

This is a neat park. It is a bit older, dating back to 1928, but still has a lot of life left. It…read morewas originally named Haverford Park, after Haverford Avenue which borders it on its West side. The park is home to a garden. I believe it is one of those community gardens that are popping up all over the area. It has a table and chairs to sit and looks nice. The park seems well maintained and has adequate parking available. It spans 13 acres and spans a bit of everything. They have a skate park that has seen better days. It sits on what use to be old tennis courts. It looks like it was put together using items that were found laying around. It has rails, ramps, stairs and other pieces that I do not know the name of. It may be makeshift, but it works. There were people shredding (is that still the word) when I was there. The park also have a restroom facility and a couple of shelters with picnic tables under it and grills outside of them. There is also a very nice water park there. It seems relatively new. There are benches over there that are shaded by canopies where parents can sit and watch their littles play. The park also has a lot of green space that could be used for activities such as football, soccer, flying a kite, or having a picnic. The park's full basketball court has seen better days. It will do for those wanting to just throw up a few shots. The court could use a fresh coat of paint though. Of course the park has a playground. It is on a bed of wood chips and consists of a few pieces of older traditional equipment. It is not a very big area. Some of the equipment includes a bank of traditional/toddler swings, an accessible medium sized jungle gym with slides, and a spinning net climber. The splash pad makes this park a destination park for some. It is a nice traditional park that has a lot to offer.

I'm always intrigued by the parks that seem to get the most reviews. While some Indy Parks…read morelocations seem to get ignored, we occasionally get a park like Juan Solomon Park on the northwest side of Indy with 10 reviews. The park was acquired in 1971. It's a 41-acre park. I love learning how parks get their names - and Juan Solomon is named after Juan Solomon (I bet you figured that out, eh). Solomon was very active in Indy's African-American community and served as director of the Community Service Council, Indianapolis Urban League, and was on the board of the Indianapolis Department of Parks and recreation. He worked for Eli Lilly for 32 years and led the Mayor's Task Force on Employment. The park is one of Indy's parks that really has some cool features including a covered sheltered, soccer fields, renovated playground equipment, tennis courts, and wooded trails great for nature walks. There's a .8 mile loop. Crooked Creek runs through the center of the park. This is a park with public restrooms and there's an indoor facility with space for rent and a very cool sod roof. Interestingly, there's also a water treatment facility here. Parking is abundant here. While Solomon Park was developed in 1971, it actually didn't become Solomon Park until 1973. Solomon also lived in this neighborhood (across from the park). As I noted, you can book community room rentals. I know on weekends it's $80 an hour with a three-hour minimum (paid upfront). There are flushing restrooms connected to the building (though they are also open to the public). Capacity is 75 people (no kitchen on site). You can rent the shelter for $85/day with a capacity of 40-50. I used to live in this area. I don't get to Juan Solomon as much as I used to, however, I still stop in when I'm on this side of town or if I arrive on this side of town early for a meeting. While part of me thinks this should be a destination park, it even offers pretty darn good accessibility with the playground, I still think it's not quite a 5-star park as it's not always kept up really well and I'll be honest and say I think the community room rental is a bit steep for a public park. That said, there's much to love here and this park serves the Crooked Creek area quite well. It's not a destination park, however, it's definitely a popular park for this area.

I've had this spot bookmarked after driving by nearly a dozen times. We finally had the time to…read morestop by and check it out with our son this last weekend. The thing that caught my eye the most was the beautiful building with a living roof and the trails surround the park. They have a large playscape on a padded floor, tennis courts and a soccer field. It felt like everything could use a little TLC and they are struggling to keep up with trash overflow that seemed to litter the parking lot, etc. (most likely to blame from the visitors not picking up after themselves) Overall, great bones but could use a little loving.